Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Casco vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Casco has the youngest population (median age 52).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Mount Desert | Casco | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
3,696Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
52±3.3Lowest 16% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$355,500±$58kLowest 20% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Casco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,085Lowest about the ME average |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Casco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.